Great Britain began colonising small parts of Africa in the latter part of the 18th century, controlling most of the continent prior to the First World War. Great Britain claimed to be bringing civilisation, Christianity, and eventually liberal democracy to it African colonies. The British eventually ended the practice of slavery on the African continent yet also extracted a great deal of natural resources and precious gems as well as gold from its African colonies.
Britain’s Dominance in Africa
Britain had originally taken control of parts of Africa in order to protect its slave traders as well as providing naval bases for the Royal Navy in key strategic locations such as Sierra Leone. Whilst it took several decades for Britain to build up its empire in Africa it took less than three decades to give those colonies independence after the end of the Second World War.
The End Of Empire
The first British colony in Africa to gain independence was the dominion of South Africa. The white minority Nationalist party government declared independence in 1948. The other white dominated British colony in Africa namely Southern Rhodesia made its unilateral declaration of independence in 1965 leading to civil war and delaying formal independence until 1980. The renamed Zimbabwe was the formally the last British colony in Africa.
The Difficulties of Economic Development and Liberal Democracy
At first the legacy of British colonisation in Africa seemed to be a generally positive one, although that perception did not survive until the end of the 1960s. Former British colonies in Africa such as Kenya and Nigeria gained independence and apparently became liberal democracies. Kenya though came to be dominated by a single political party whilst Nigeria quickly became embroiled in a bloody civil war over the future of the province of Biafra.
Generally the legacy of British colonisation in Africa has with hindsight been a largely indifferent one. Most of the former British colonies have found it difficult to build stable liberal democracies and achieve sustainable levels of economic development.
Sources:
Ashley M, (2002) A brief history of British Kings & Queens, Robinson, London
Comfort N, (1993) Brewer’s Politics, a phrase and fable dictionary, Cassell, London
Eatwell R & Wright A, (2003) Contemporary Political Ideologies 2nd Edition, Continuum, London
Ferguson N, (2003) Empire – how Britain made the modern world, Penguin, London
Gardiner & Wenborn (1995) The History Today Companion to British History,Collins and Brown Ltd, London
Hobsbawm E, (1987) The Age of Empire 1875-1914, Weidenfeld & Nicholson, London
